Q. I have a question about modern accessories and whether they need to "coordinate." I received a nice red leather smartphone case at work as a holiday gift. In my work (and life), that phone is always in my hand; does it matter if the case clashes with my other clothing? I wonder to a lesser extent about my green khaki messenger bag that serves as a modern briefcase and even my key ring, which has a gold and black logo from my alma mater.
A. Life comes with enough problems without our worrying about ones that do not make much difference. You worry too much! Such accessories have more leeway than those directly on your person.
It is certainly true that, in general, color coordinating one's clothes is a great way for a man to show that he cares about his appearance and wants to look his best. I often wonder why so many men overlook this important (and totally inexpensive, if not actually free) way to set themselves apart from the crowd. All too often a man will spend a great deal on the individual items of clothing he is wearing, but by choosing colors that disregard the rules of color coordination, he ends up looking far from his best. If, on the other hand, he paid careful attention to coordinating the items he found on "sale," in a thrift shop, or even at a "gently-used" clothing store, he would look far better for a fraction of the cost. This is a truth that fine dressers know and use to their advantage.
While I obviously feel that color coordination is a major element in one's personal dressing style, I also believe it's not necessary to go overboard. It makes no sense to try to match items that are as ever-present as a smartphone case; no one can possibly have one that works well with all the different clothes in his daily wardrobe. Certain items, such as a key ring, are so small that they go unnoticed. The only item that you mentioned to even consider might be the messenger bag. And as long as it is not a bright Kelly green, even that will probably not conflict with the rest of your clothes.
On the other hand, between the extremes of the suits, jackets, shirts, ties and casual clothes that should indeed be color coordinated and those less significant accessories you mentioned that don't need to be matched is another area that might merit your consideration. This category includes such outer garments as a winter topcoat, a shorter car coat, and a fedora; it also includes the type of metal in a man's jewelry. Here, while there is no need to obsess over matching, it makes sense to at least consider the colors that predominate in the rest of a man's wardrobe. For example, if his watch and the buttons on his blazer are usually gold (or gold-toned), then it seems logical to wear a belt buckle, cuff links, and a tie clasp in gold tone rather than silver. If most of his wardrobe emphasizes shades of blue, it makes sense not to choose a brown or olive green topcoat. Something more neutral, such as gray, could be a fine compromise.
In fact, a neutral shade is often a good answer to the question of which color to wear. Such neutrals as gray, khaki, beige, or black can be safe choices. Finding a happy medium, or an intermediate color that is not too bright or distinct, solves many color problems.
To summarize: when we put various elements of clothes together, our goal is to produce harmony and balance. This can be accomplished by a thoughtful use of color that pleases the eye. Too much contrast -- like too many conflicting colors in a combination -- is jarring. Too little is boring.
Color is such a positive element in life. Relax a little, and enjoy it.
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High Profile on 12/31/2017